F1 Daily: Herta's Homecoming, Haas' Godzilla Livery & Fornaroli's Hypercar Deal

More than a handful of Formula 1 teams are introducing special car liveries and race suits in the 2026 United States Grand Prix. The Circuit of The Americas (COTA) has always hosted such festivities, especially from Haas, the home team.

But remember, Haas isn't the only team enjoying a home circuit advantage this year.  

Colton Herta has struggled in his debut campaign in Formula 2, which has dimmed his hopes of landing an F1 seat in 2027. But it seems that Cadillac isn't giving up on the former IndyCar star just yet.

The 26-year-old American driver will take the wheels of Sergio Perez's Cadillac in Free Practice 1 in Austin. It will be his fourth FP1 outing of the year. If Herta completes at least 100 kilometers during the session, he can earn one additional FIA Super Licence point. If not, he earns no point, as what happened at Monza when a hydraulic problem cut short his Free Practice run.

Interestingly, Herta achieved a major career milestone in COTA, where he won his first IndyCar race in 2019.

The Haas F1 team is launching their second Godzilla-themed livery of the season, this time in a cool light blue hue. As part of their promotional deal with Japanese studio TOHO, the "Godzilla Minus Zero" livery promotes the film's upcoming North American release. 

Haas also ran a Godzilla livery during the Japanese Grand Prix in Suzuka, but it came with their usual color combination of red, black, and white.

After Charles Leclerc's personalized all-black race suit in Singapore, the Ferrari drivers will also wear special designs in Austin. The suits for Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton remain predominantly red, but they will feature a full coverage of a white hue on top and on the sleeves.

It's still unclear if Ferrari will put on a new livery for the SF-26, especially with their title sponsor HP's identity as an American brand.

Leonardo Fornaroli, one of the aspiring F1 drivers affected by the Rafael Camara-Haas deal, is set to join McLaren's Hypercar program. Currently serving as McLaren F1's reserve driver, Fornaroli could be a major factor in McLaren's 2027 World Endurance Championship campaign, which includes the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The Italian driver is also the reigning Formula 2 champion. Typically, winning the F2 championship is a springboard to an F1 seat, but Fornaroli has been unlucky in that regard. Still, he's only 21 years of age, so his F1 window remains big.